New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-17
SHOTGUN RULE IN TEXAS.
HOW CoRoNERs' INoUEsTs ARE HELD.
sENAToR HOAR WANTS To PROTECT THE WIT
NEssEs NOW GIVING TESTIMONY.
IyY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

sxNAroR HoAR WANTS To PROTECT THE WIT
NEssEs NOW GIVING TESTIMONY.
IgI TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.-The Sepate corridors were
thronged today by coo,ed men, bearing all the char
scteristics OF the Southern negro and by white men
with big brimmed SLOUGH hats showing unmistakablc
sgns of being what negroes ca-when they are at a
nate distance" poor white trash" They were the
witnesses subp9naed before the Privileges and Elec-
tons Committee the Senate to testify regarding the
outrages committed by white Ku-Kl lux upon nofensive
Ing as that offered yesterday though fewer witnesses
we're examined. The principal witness was :. N;
Nicholson, plan err" whose bearing upon Inc s'"na
did not impress those present favora6iy ,..
The colored witness, T. n. Jones whose examinauon
was begun yesterday was again called 10 ino 'tanu
r. he voting place 10 bring him his supper Tho
brother has since been banged. he was re
publican Nicholson T ts,es mex. es1s
.fnoo then he has voted the peoples ticket.
IL was appointed manager of the election OF Chad
voks yin house, but being i'll. he was requested to
select some good man to serve in his stead f9r this
purpose he attended the polls and remained all day
Senator Spooner-Was there an election there that
day: 10 air.
"Weli why Won't you explain thatw
aWel am almost ashamed to state couldn't get
any one who could write There were three or four
WHO could write, but they didn't wish to serve.'
The witness said that at the election prior to that
had occurred at Chapel Hill, when two Ten one being
an election Officer were shot: The ballot box was
taken and the vote suppressed. The witness dd not
think that this had the effect of lettering
the colored at Chadwicks from serving as cleo
tion officers.
In reply TO Senator Eustis witness said the vote Of
the precinct was aboi eveuly divided. The Republ,
cans might have majority OF four or Ave. No one had
declined to serve by reason OF fear OF personal INJURY
Lewis T. Pennington, colOred, testified that no was
avoter at Flewellyns precinct and was one OF the
judges OF election last November; He tod the story
Il. nDn hx fhraa arvYQ
masked men, who demanded and took away the ballot
box; the shooting of Devices Bolton, one OF the
1ss gna sSd sSed Fed three eoorcd
Upon cr0ss-examination. Senator Enstis read the
deposition OF the witness at the c0roners inquest IN
which the witness SAID that he did not see any men
coming in the door Disguised and with pistols and
he sa where he could both doors. Is that state
uent correct e. asked Senator Eustis
"Well, no, sir, that isn't" ~
aWell, in what respect Is that incorrect
sWell there was double-barrelled shot-guns and
stols round thar lat the Coroners inquest I'LL was
Test naturally 'traid to tell the truth"
On 70 iirect examination by Senator SOONER, the
witness said the colored people voted the Republican
ticket except when they were scared up to vote the
Peoples ticket"
Felix Kinlow colored, was of the three or four
negroes who He n h"s
business there He described the raid, his own flight,
his arrest With eight other coored men next day ana
his inca ceration Tor month the entry into the Jail
of O mob OF armed and disguised men, who took out
Shed Fielder and he witnesses father-inaw and cousin
and hanged them On crosse4aminalion the witness
that Polk Hill killed Devices bolton. Senator Eustis
read from the witnesses deposition before the coroner
the effect that he saw Polk cock his gun and ire
dwell" reoined the witness, tell you just how it
L. De fact is was scared and dunno how l talked.
was scared and had a right to be-"
The testimony OF Andy Hayes, another OF the negro
outsiders who i'll the loom where the vote was
being counted at Flewellyn's, substantially a |
ssm soo 1 OF examined judge
Grabas polling place on election day last November
the Peoples" ticket About o'clock in the morn
ing, Mr.. Galway, a white man, came in ami read
note Mr.. Council, and Mr. Council read it TO Mr.
officers OF eecon) Half hour later three disguised
and armed white men entered, ordered hands up"
and seized and carried away the ballot box and tally
sheets. Mr.. Conne said laughingly, as the men were
going away: wish they had come about three hours
and halt age. knew they were coming" Ora
balls, like Fleweyns which as similarly raded' was
heard OF any effort to find out who raded the room
and took the box.
The committee adjourned till 1890 m. tomorrow
The resolution offered Yesterday by Mr. Hoar, to
have the COMMITTEE Privileges and Elections in
uuire as to whether the District Attorney Marshal
of the Western District of Texas has been attempting
to Obstru:t the investigation. or 10 intlmdate wit
nesses, was taken up i'll the Senate to-day Mr. Coke
moved To amend the resolution ty requiring notice |
OF the inv estigaton be given to those officials that
witnesses might be summoned in their defence lie |
had no objection TO this investigation; hut he knew
that the information which IL based
absolutely false All that there wac in IL was that
some OF the witnesses summoned to Washington were
aiterward subpenaed TO appear before the Grand
Jury at Austin had been brought there and testified
and were now'in Washington.
Mr.. Hoar sent to the clerks desk communication
from the Department of Justice including copy OF
telegram from the District Attorney OF Western
Texss TO the Attorney General, asking him to have
the chairman OF the committee wire to him the
of important Government witnesses who refuse
to return to Texas, and hold them until subpoBaed"
Mr.. Coke explained that telegram to mean the
compelling OF all the witnesses here to appear before
the Grand Jury at Austin. The strictAttomey was
simply performing his duty. MIR. Hoar moved to lay
Mr.. Cokes amendment the table. Agreed to-
yeas, 80; nays Pa party vote Mr. Hoars resolu-
ton then adopted by party yote-3O to 10.